This is not their first collaboration, but it is their first complete record as a duo. Julie Tippetts’ voice has aged pretty well: reciting or improvising, she is rapturing. As for Martin Archer, he’s an original in the noblest and most exciting meaning of the word. Everything he does is at least worth a listen, and often fascinating. He has a unique way of fiddling with electronics, adding sax, clarinet and violin to it, combining and arranging it all into something that recalls European free improvisation, delves into acousmatics, and draws inspiration from Soft Machine, all in one! This album is quieter than In Stereo Gravity (his latest solo release) and clearly constructed around Tippetts’ voice and poems. I’ve been singing Archer’s praise for years – at the very least, listen to In Stereo Gravity (also featuring Tippetts) or Winter Pilgrim Arriving, but don’t miss on Ghosts of Gold, it’s...gold![Below: Two excerpts from the album – “The Bear That Walks at Night” and “Rainsong”, found on Discus’ website.]

Earlier this year, Balmorhea released a gorgeous record entitled All is Wild, All is Silent, a very moving post-rock record. Here comes a double LP of remixes by the likes of Bexar Bexar, Helios, Xela, Machinefabriek, and Eluvium, to name a few. It’s both a lot and too little: a lot, because it drags on and several tracks are remixed more than once; too little because none of these remixes actually offers more than the original. Some rereadings are interesting, but none manages to pack the emotional charge found on the original recordings – perhaps save one: the “November 1, 1832” remix signed Peter Broderick (him again! I’m developing a crush...).